Climate Change Chief Executives Board

The Climate Change Chief Executives Board (the Board) will focus on New Zealand’s long-term climate change strategy, ensuring Aotearoa stays on track to meet its commitments.

It will monitor and report on the delivery of actions in the emissions reduction plan (ERP) and national adaptation plan (NAP) and is responsible for Government Target 9: Reduced net greenhouse gas emissions. It will also advise on the overall effectiveness and future direction of the two plans, and ensure domestic emissions budgets are met.

A key priority of the Board is to provide advice on how to navigate the path towards Aotearoa New Zealand’s long-term climate change goals, responding to challenges and taking opportunities as they arise. 

Board members include:  

• James Palmer - Te Hēkeretari mō te Taiao - Secretary for the Environment

• Iain Rennie - Te Hēkeretari mō Te Tai Ōhanga - Secretary to the Treasury  
• Penny Nelson - Te Tumu Whakarae mō Te Papa Atawhai - Director-General of Conservation  
• Ray Smith - Te Tumu Whakarae mō Manatū Ahu Matua - Director-General of Primary Industries  
• Carolyn Tremain - Te Hēkeretari mō Hīkina Whakatutuki - Secretary for Business, Innovation and Employment  
• Audrey Sonerson - Te Hēkeretari mō Te Manatū Waka - Secretary for Transport 
• Paul James - Te Hēkeretari mō Te Tari Taiwhenua -Secretary for Internal Affairs 

• David Gawn - Tāhūhū rangapū mō Te Rākau Whakamarumaru - Chief Executive of National Emergency Management Agency

Secretary for the Environment, James Palmer, is Chairperson of the Board.

Aaron Martin, Deputy Solicitor-General, has been appointed as an independent adviser to help the Board manage the legal risks associated with the climate change work programme. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is an agency within the Board’s remit and also participates in Board meetings.

Members of the Board are jointly responsible to the Minister of Climate Change and will also advise the Climate Priorities Ministerial Group.

Board operating procedures

The Board is supported by a Secretariat. The Secretariat is hosted by the Ministry for the Environment and is made up of member agency staff and permanent staff. Kirsty Flannagan is the Executive Director for the Board Secretariat. 

An interdepartmental executive board is a board of public service chief executives. It is a new model of public service agency, designed to draw together chief executives to deal with complex issues that have impacts and policy levers that sit across a wide range of portfolio areas. These complex issues cannot be solved by one single agency.